Bevel Jig?

[Hollon]

Anyone got any ideas for this? This is going to be done a bench grinder (not a belt) since my belt one is only 1/3hp, and my bench grinder is 2hp...

And since I'm new at this, is this a bad plan to go about making this?
1. Forge to general shape
2. Hit blank with grinder to remove scale
3. File till flat
4. Use grinder to put in bevels
5. Use belt grinder to get rid of grind marks
6. Harden and temper.
7. Remove scale
8. Buff
9. Sharpen

I realize that some people forge in bevels, but as a beginner, that seems to be leaving to much to chance for me, but I will try this later. I figure also that some people put the bevels in by hand, but I haven't developed the proper hand eye coordination for this yet.

[Don A]

I think you will be better off to just file the bevels in. You will have a lot more control and a lot less mess to clean up when you're done. A bench grinder is a useful tool, but it is generally for coarse work. The files will teach you patience, very theraputic, and they leave a really nice finish. You can get files that vary in their aggressiveness; start with coarse and work to fine. Then you can go straight to sanding / polishing.

Also, you will want a pretty decent finish on the blade before you harden; perhaps 220 grit, maybe 400. Any deep scratches are problems waiting to happen, plus they are going to be that much harder to get out after the steel is hard.

After you harden, you will want to polish it up again before you temper. Clean steel is just easier to manage.

And don't forget to normalize before you harden.

Good luck,

Don

[EdCaffreyMS]

I agree with Don. The use of a grinding jig is a VERY limiting thing when it comes to knifemaking. The use of a bench grinder might seem like a good idea, but as Don mentioned, it is intended for coarse work, and will force you to use the files anyway to clean up. Basically you'll just be adding one more step to the process with the bench grinder, and will actually be creating more work for yourself, rather than less.

You also mentioned about not wanting to forge in the bevels....think about this: 10 mins of work at the forge can save 3-4X that amount of time when finishing.

[dragonflySmithy]

Originally Posted by Don A

And don't forget to normalize before you harden.

Good luck,

Don

I haven't forged anything since Oct07. I went out the other day and forged a new bowie. I skiped the normalizing step. I watched the whole edge crack and fall off of the blade as I quenched the steel. Can you say I am upset at oneself. I lost 13 inches of blade steel and 1.5-2 hours of work. But the next one came out even better and will be getting a handle today.

[Hollon]

When I file in bevels (therapeutic...haha thats a good word for it) I will be draw filing right? As for draw filing (and I know I had a post about this earlier) do I pull it straight down towards myself like in the the direction of ↓ or do I move it in more of a diagonal line, so that the file is moving both left, and downwards (sorry if this doesn't make sense). My intepretation before was to just move it straight towards myself, but that was leaving scratches, so I started moving it in a diagonal line. This worked well, but the finish was not as fine of a finish as it was described. One last thing. Should I worry about brushing out the filings that become attracted to the file after it becomes magnetized? I had been doing that, but it was taking a lot of time just cleaning the file.

Thanks for the information so far.
-Hollon

[ThomasPowers]

Draw filining is mainly straight.
The gouges result from having filings trapped and drug along.
DEMAGNETIZE THE FILE! NOW!

Note that the surface is also a factor of how coarse a file you are using. I drawfile with several different files starting with the coarse one and ending with the fine.

Remove the scale with a vinegar soak or the grinder before filing, your files will last a lot longer!

[Hollon]

The file I was using appeared to never had been used, though it was rather old (and had a light coating of surface rust). As for demagnetizing the file, do I just heat it and quench it?

Also the scale had already been removed with a bench grinder.

[Don A]

Listen... compared to any other equipment, files are relatively cheap. You can go to Lowes or Home Depot and find a big selection, usually Nicholson.

Buy several. Great big, big, medium, small, smaller... coarse, fine... flat, round, etc., etc.

If you are trying to do clean work with one old file, it ain't gonna be easy. For under $100 you can get a good set of new files to work with.

And be sure to buy a file card... one of the flat wire brushes to keep your files clean. Use it often. Get some canvas or old denim and keep 'em clean and rolled up when you're not using them. Treat your files like fine tools and they will serve you well.

Don

[Don A]

As for demagnetizing the file, do I just heat it and quench it?

Never, never, never heat a file!!! You will destroy the temper.

They make devices especially for demagnetization. Look around; you can probably find plans for a home-made rig.


Again... never, never, never heat a good file.

Don

[ThomasPowers]

"never, never, never heat a good file."

QFT, unless it's one that is being sacrificed to be stock to make a blade from...

Use a de-magger; ask around someone you know might have one.

I have files over 60 years old that still cut strong and clean and some that are nearly brand new that are pretty useless. How they were taken care of and what quality they were seems to be more important than age in my experience.

If you can't spend a lot of money on tools learn to take care of the ones you have! (and how to identify good ones used...)